Cablevision Interview

Cablevision recently interviewed all council candidates. Check out my interview.

Hoboken Flooding and the Sewage Authority

I met with a friend at the North Hudson Sewage Authority today to learn more about the issue first hand. Fixing the problem sounds doable, but expensive. Fred Pocci, Executive Director of the Sewage Authority will be attending the City Council meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue. I am anxious to hear his plans and learn more about City Hall's position. Although I had to wade through blocks of water up to my knees, I feel worse for people who lost cars or had homes flooded. What took the City so long to react? Why weren't streets blocked off sooner and cars required to be moved out of harm's way? Seems someone was asleep at the wheel. We need to implement a long term solution to the problem.

Virginia Tech Massacre

My heart goes out to all the students and family at Virginia Tech. These deaths bring back bad memories of my freshman year at Syracuse University when when we lost 35 students in the bombing of flight Pan Am 103. Such senseless acts are impossible to explain. They remind us to always be vigilant and prepared.

Poster Update

We found out who took the posters down... It turns out it was City Hall! On a hunch we called Environmental Services to see if someone mistakenly took the posters down. It turns out they DID and it wasn't a mistake at all. They told me the company who owns the bus shelters are not allowed to accept political advertising so they shouldn't have put them up in the first place. Hasn't the City allowed other political advertising in the past? Stay tuned....

Missing Poster Alert!

Have you seen this poster? Probably not. It seems our bus shelter posters describing how we are going to reform City Government have proven so popular that someone decided to take them and not share with the rest of us. Someone must feel pretty threatened by our campaign to go through that amount of trouble!

But no worries, they will be replaced and we believe we have witnesses and a surveillance video showing who took them. Nothing is going to stop our campaign to change City Government. Especially not low life thieves stealing posters.

REWARD: We are offering a $250 reward to anyone who provides enough information to the authorities to catch the "poster thief". We will even match the $250 with another $250 to be donated on your behalf to your favorite Hoboken charity. Who says good can't come out of bad?

Board of Education Candidate Debate

I attended the Board of Ed Candidate meeting sponsored by the Hoboken Family Alliance today from 2-4 pm. (Afterwards I needed to wade through knee-high brackish water to get home!)
The event was a great opportunity to hear directly from each of the candidates on the most important issues including K-8, the budget, the Alternative HS, quality of the H.S., change, and Abbott funding.

There were only about 20 people in attendance. One board candidate confided in me "I probably know who each of the attendees are supporting already. " It is a shame more people weren't there. It would have been great to have the meeting videotaped and broadcast on cable. New Superintendent Jack Raslowsky was in attendance, but did not speak.

Meeting with New Superintendent of Schools Jack Raslowsky

Caring for our kids by providing a high quality education is one of our most important obligations. I have spent a good amount of time over the past 7 years working to improve the opportunities for kids by helping the Boys and Girls Club and Jubilee Center. In 2001 I had the chance to tutor some 3rd graders at Connors School. I enjoyed that a lot.

(Picture courtesy of Hoboken411)

Hoboken deserves a world-class education system so I was thrilled to be invited to an open question and answer session with new Superintendent of Schools Jack Raslowsky last week. I find Jack to be open, honest and non-political (which is exactly what we need). That doesn't mean he doesn't know his way around Hoboken politics, just that I believe he is going to keep the kids' needs first and politics last. He shares my belief there needs to be a better relationship between the school system and the Hoboken community at large so we can separate fact fromfiction and provide a community-wide solution to making this one of the best school systems in the US.

BTW, don't forget to get to the polls and vote on Tuesday April 17th for School Board.

Jubilee Center "Visionary Leaders Dinner"

I was honored to be invited to the Jubilee Center's "Visionary Leaders Dinner" on April 4th. We received an update on the Jubilee Center and its activities. We had a chance to hang out with the kids and watch them perform some dance routines. The Jubilee Center is truly making a difference in these kids' lives.

They gave me this beautiful framed picture of the kids holding a "Party With Purpose" sign and a homemade card. Overall it was a fantastic evening and helps to remind me why all the fundraising for them is worth it.

Housing Authority Meeting

I attended the monthly Hoboken Housing Authority Meeting to hear directly from the HHA directors regarding the poor living conditions at the Fox Hill Senior Living facility. I believe they are all working hard and have made some good progress at HHA, but I was not satisfied by their responses regarding Fox Hill. The Community Center has been closed for weeks and will be closed for ANOTHER 6-8 weeks while under repair. Remodeling the Community Room is a good thing, but the HHA has done enough to provide alternative places for the Seniors to socialize, play bingo, or attend church. The seniors are livid and I am told some are "wasting away" by staying in their apartments all day without anywhere to go and interact. I implored the HHA board to make alternative arrangements for the seniors including setting up tables and chairs in another room and making them aware of activities at other HHA buildings. The seniors deserve better representation and I intend to provide it as councilperson.

Hoboken Family Alliance "Spring Fling" 2007

The Scott Delea For Council Team sponsored and participated in the HFA "Spring Fling" for the second time. What a great event. Seeing all of these young Hoboken families further reinforces the urgency to create a better public school system and develop more open space. With an army of baby carriages and some council seats how can anyone stop us?!

If you are interested in another cool event for families you should check out the Party With Purpose Hoboken 5K and Kids Run which takes place on July 17th. HFA organizes the kid's games and race. Don't miss it! Learn more here: http://www.partywithpurpose.org/events.html

I had a photographer take pictures of the Spring Fling. He took some great shots. Check them out here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottdelea/

Interview with RealHoboken.com

I was interviewed by RealHoboken.com. They asked some pretty good questions and seemed to do their homework (which I appreciated). The article is on the front page at the moment, but you will probaby find it off the front page soon and will need to directly link to it here.

"D" is for Delea

Ballot positions were chosen today and I am position "D". People say it is best to be in the first position "A". There are only 4 slots (A,B,C,D) on the ballot so I don't think it is going to make much of a difference whether you are A or D. I expect voters are savy enough to look across four names and find the candidate they want to vote for without getting too confused!

The 2007 Campaign Begins

I am officially announcing the launch of my 2007 campaign for City Council (5th Ward). Here is the "press release":

Two years ago, I had the privilege of running city-wide for Hoboken City Council. Although I lost the election, I was deeply honored and flattered by the support I obtained from Hoboken voters. After the election, the Hoboken Reporter wrote “[Delea] received an extremely strong showing for a political newcomer. Internet marketing executive Scott Delea obtained [1,336] votes. That total means that about 13 percent of all voters pushed the lever for Delea. With little budget but a strong work ethic, Delea was able to beat out the entire slates of Smith and Russo, which is no small feat."

The fight for a more open, efficient, transparent government is far from over and the need for more positive, proactive leadership has never been greater. This is why I am announcing my candidacy for 5th Ward Councilperson.

A city as special as Hoboken deserves to be represented by people not afraid to take risks, people who have a proven track record of success, and are independent from special interests. They should also be able to effectively bridge the gap between young, old, newcomer, or “born and raised”.

I have proven to be such an individual in the past and vow to fight for more efficient, transparent government, better treatment of our seniors, acquisition of open space, better schools, adequate parking, and less dependence on special interests

In the coming weeks, I look forward to speaking with you to discuss how, together, we can create a better future for the residents of the 5th Ward and all of Hoboken. If you are looking to make a difference and would like to become part of the solution, I encourage you to join me by calling me at 201.988.7175, or via email at info@ScottForHoboken.com. Finally, I want to encourage everyone to register to vote so your voice may be heard. For more information and a registration form, please visit my website at www.ScottForHoboken.com .

With your help, I am looking forward to making Hoboken an even better place to live.

Sincerely,

Scott Delea
Positive Leadership For Hoboken

Update Oct 15th, 2006

I hope this post finds everyone well. It has been a while since I've posted. Over the past year and a half, I have continued to stay very involved in "everything Hoboken" including producing multiple fundraisers for our local Boys and Girls Club, Jubilee Center, and other worthy causes. Running for City Council was one of the most exciting things I have ever done and I feel we made a real difference during our campaign.



There is an important election taking place on November 7th (about 3 weeks away) for which we will cast a vote for a Senate candidate to represent NJ in Washington D.C. for the next six years. I want to strongly encourage you to exercise your right to vote. Many people continue to fight and die to protect our right to vote. The least we can do is get to the polls.

- The last day to register to vote is October 17th. If you are not registered and you live in Hudson County, download and fill out this form.

- All other NJ residents can find directions to their forms here.

- "No Reason" Absentee Ballot. Not sure if you will be around or will it be difficult to get to the polls? NJ allows you to apply for a "no reason" absentee ballot. Click here to apply.

- Fundraiser for Senator Menendez next Sunday, October 22nd at Nine , 333 Washington Street in Hoboken from 8:00 – 10:00 pm. Come meet Hoboken’s own Senator Menendez at this special and intimate affair. You don’t want to miss this unique opportunity. Suggested donation is $75. For more information, click here.

2007 HOBOKEN CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Hoboken’s next municipal election takes place in May of 2007 when six members of City Council will be elected. I am in the final stages of assembling my “exploratory” committee to discuss the upcoming election and my possible bid for the 5th Ward Council position. It would be great to obtain your input and have you on the team. For more information, please email me at info@ScottforHoboken.com

I will continue to periodically send out emails related to community events and upcoming election-related news. If you would like to unsubscribe from future emails, please let me know. Otherwise, please send this email to your friends and neighbors. If you received this email from a friend, send me your email address so you are included on these emails in the future.

Many future communications will be delivered via my blog. Be sure to check it out periodically www.ScottForHoboken.blogspot.com and subscribe via RSS.

Thanks and don’t forget to vote!

Scott

In Response to the reference of me being the "Howard Dean" of Hoboken

A couple of weeks ago the Jersey Journal referred to me as the "Howard Dean" of Hoboken and an "up and coming politico". I have to admit I was a bit scared and flattered (at the same time) by the reference. In response, a letter was written to the editor by Jake Stuiver who runs the local Howard Dean-leaning "Democracy For America" organization. In essence Jake said I "ain't no Howard Dean". Frankly, I agree. Rather than debate the similarities and dissimilarities between me and Howard Dean, let me make a few statements.

First, the analogy the Journal made to Dean is probably a misunderstanding. I believe the Jersey Journal misunderstood Party With Purpose (PWP) www.partywithpurpose.org to be a political organization, which couldn't be further from the truth. Party With Purpose is an entirely non-partisan charity I started in 2002 and has nothing to do with politics. The only thing PWP focuses on is trying to bring good people together to raise money for worthy causes. The "party" in "Party With Purpose" actually refers to the social kind of party, not the political kind. My charitable efforts and politics have always been separate and they will continue to stay that way. I do charity work because it is the right thing to do, not for political gain.

Now, let me respond to Jake Stuiver's letter to the editor.

I signed up to join the mailing list of the Hudson County DFA (Democracy For America, formerly Dean For America) "Meet Up" group because I was curious to know who they were and what they stood for. During the 2004 Presidential election, I heard how the MeetUp.com technology was used to garner grassroots support for political candidates on both sides of the aisle. Since I was going to be running a small grassroots campaign in my independent bid for Hoboken City Council, I thought I might have use for the technology. I was also interested in learning more about the DFA and what they stood for.

During a very busy campaign for City Council, I would periodically receive emails from the DFA group regarding meetings they were having. I would have liked to attend but I had conflicts on nights they had the meetings scheduled.

The funny thing is, the day I endorsed Roberts for Mayor, Jake Stuiver dropped me from the DFA mailing list. I found this odd. Why would the DFA care who I endorsed? After all, the DFA is an outgrowth of Dean's Presidential campaign. Howard Dean is now the Democratic National Chairman. The Hudson County Democratic Party is a strong supporter of Mayor Roberts. Shouldn't Jake have been calling me and thanking me for supporting the Democratic Party and their candidate? Well no, because it turns out Jake is a big supporter of Carol Marsh.

It is a bit ironic and hypocritical that a DFA group (who espouses the values of the Democratic Party, inclusiveness, and progress) would find someone like me (who espouses these same principles and had the guts to give up a big part of my life and privacy to run for office) a threat, rather than a welcome addition to the team. It is this type of mentality and actions which will stunt any progress the Hudson County DFA is trying to make.

For example, I was the only council or mayoral candidate endorsed by the Hoboken Republican Club. Since I am a Democrat, I was particularly flattered by their endorsement. After I supported Roberts for Mayor, some people from the Hoboken Republican Club were unhappy with my decision. But, when I attended the next Republican Club meeting, they still welcomed me to their meeting. Most of them understand that some dialogue is better than no dialogue, even if you disagree with it.

I intend to be a positive contributor to the Hoboken community for a long time and hope I have the opportunity to meet with the members of the DFA group in the future. So, Jake, you are right, I am not Howard Dean, and by the way, neither are you. I think even Howard would have handled the situation more professionally than you did and would have tried engaging in a personal conversation rather than a conversation in the editorial section of the Jersey Journal which was done for purely partisan reasons... those of Carol Marsh.

Future Leaders will emerge

As Mr. Snitch reports, a recent Letter to the Editor printed in last weekend's Hoboken Reporter provided a fair and balance view of the mayoral race while commenting on those of us who represent the future of Hoboken politics. The letter is reprinted on Mr. Snitch's site: http://mistersnitch.blogspot.com/2005/06/letter-of-year.html .

As Americans, it is our duty to vote. As a former candidate, it is my obligation to endorse a candidate...

During the last three months, I had the privilege of running for City Council at Large. I want to thank the over 13% of voters who entrusted me with one of their votes. Your vote made a statement that you are interested in bringing new, positive leadership to City Hall.

With the runoff election approaching, I would like to share some of my thoughts regarding the runoff elections scheduled for June 14th.

First, I encourage all of Hoboken’s registered voters to go to the polls and exercise your right to vote. As Americans, we owe it to those who have fought and died (and are still fighting and dying) for us that we exercise one of our most basic rights…the right to vote.

Secondly, like all voters, I too need to cast votes for mayor and council. Although it would be easier and less controversial for me to keep my preferences private, I feel I owe it to those of you who supported me in the last election to make my choices public.

During the campaign, I had the opportunity to get to know the other candidates well. I understand where they stand on the issues and the type of leaders they are. No one, including myself, is perfect or has all the answers. Ultimately, we must make a choice of the candidates we are given, not the ones we wish we had.

After careful consideration, I have decided Mayor Roberts represents the best opportunity for Hoboken to continue to become one of the best cities to live, work, play, and raise a family in America.

There are several reasons I feel this way. Mayor Roberts has shown a greater desire and ability to reach out to different groups by establishing a more diverse, inclusive team of both “old” and “new” Hoboken. Also, during his tenure, he has focused on many of the quality of life issues so important to this city and has begun to implement his plans. With a second term, I hope he will completely fulfill his agenda and leave this city considerably better than when he took office four years ago.

Of course, I wouldn’t have run for office as an independent if I didn’t think we still had a lot of work to do. Regardless of the outcome of this election, I will continue to be committed to building bridges between our diverse groups and working for positive progress. We need to reduce government spending, implement our open space initiatives, create a more open transparent government, improve our schools, and enhance the quality of life for ALL our residents. You can count on me to help lead this charge and hold our elected officials accountable.

When you vote on June 14th, you will have the choice of voting for up to three council people, regardless of team. Be sure to get to know each of the six individuals running and select the three who will best represent you.

Once again, thank you for your support this past election. I look forward to continuing our dialogue in the months and years ahead.

Sincerely,

Scott Delea

Paying for Support (votes) was rampant

Call me naive, but I was curious why a voter told me they supported me and was voter number "147". The voter number is the number they were in line at the polls. Why would they know their "voter number" and why would they care? It turns out that some campaigns participated in paying about $40 of "street money" to "volunteers" to sit around in campaign t-shirts and vote for a certain candidate. The voter number is one way they verify the voter voted. While they cannot confirm the volunteer voted for that candidate, the campaigns hope the money will persuade volunteers to vote for the candidate and keep the gravy train coming in the future. It is an old and outdated way of doing business and one I feel is missing the real opportunity to obtain real support by speaking to the minds and hearts of voters rather than their wallets. Money is powerful, but it is limited. Someone with more money can come along and steal those "votes". Winning minds and hearts is more powerful, less expensive and can last a lifetime. When I spoke to people receiving street money, they were hungry for a different choice and different way. With the proper leadership and courage I am confident we can reach the minds and bodies of these "volunteers" and put an end to paying for supposed "loyalty". For more on street money and paying for votes, read this article in the Jersey Journal titled Some campaign 'volunteers' go where the green is

Election Results!!!

Results as of 2:00 am Tuesday May 11th

I created the following spreadsheet to provide some analysis of the election results.

With almost 83% of the results counted, I have a good idea of how things will end up, so I want to share the election results with you asap.

In the Mayoral election, Mayor Roberts will be in a run-off election against Carol Marsh. There will also be a run-off for council by the top six vote getters, all of which are on Robert's or Marsh's team, so unfortunately my race a 2005 city council spot ends tonight. For up to the minute results click here: http://www.hudsoncountyclerk.org/cgi-bin/election.pl

First, I want to thank everyone for your support. I decided to run for city council almost three months ago because I believe Hoboken is one of the best places to live in America and I want to be a part of helping our city government live up to that promise. I also believe that government has the opportunity and obligation to make a positive impact on people's lives.

Over the course of the past three months I have had a chance to meet thousands of people ranging from lifelong residents living in public housing, to wealthy young families living on the waterfront thinking about making Hoboken their permanent home. I have learned a lot and come to know Hoboken straight from the people who live here. Running for office was a life changing and exciting experience. I wouldn't have changed this for the world.

Hoboken voters have clearly responded to my message of "Positive Leadership". EVERY WARD wants change and are beginning to show it with their votes. This election will usher in an new breed of leadership which will build an even brighter future for Hoboken.

As many of you know, running an independent campaign is not easy. I was one man (with some great people helping) running against five candidates for Mayor and their three council candidates. The major mayoral candidates have had a number of advantages including:

- Money. Mayoral campaigns spent as much as $500,000 and probably averaged around $200,000

-Many of them are incumbents or have run for office before and are well known.
Volunteers and paid staff. The top four teams had 25-100+ people working the streets just today to encourage people to vote.

-The machine. Hudson county, including Hudson County is one of the most Democratically controlled counties in the country.

-Time. I jumped in the race with only 3 months to go and no organization. Most campaigns had been planning to run for six months to over a year and had done this many times before.

-The race covered every square inch of the city so it is a lot to cover as just one person!

Even with many of those disadvantages, my campaign was able to:

-Get a vote from 13.3% of the people who voted.

-Get almost more votes than two of the mayor candidates' entire slates COMBINED.

-Get more votes than two of the mayor candidates themselves

-Out of 17 candidates for council, 15 were on team, and I came in at a respectable 10th.

-My next closet opponent had less than 50% of my votes.

I knew that getting enough votes to make the runoff election was going to be a major challenge, if not impossible, but I felt we were up to the task. An experience county politician told me I was a very good candidate but didn't have a chance of getting more than 800 votes. Well, I beat that estimate by over 62%!!!

Although I fell short this time, I couldn't be more positive about Hoboken's future, and I am looking forward to staying involved with city government and the community.

Again, thank you so much for your support, both financial and emotional. I couldn't have done any of this without you.

All the best and stay tuned for future updates, including comments on the upcoming run-off election. I have tabulated some of the data and pasted the results below.

Scott

SAVE A SPOT FOR SCOTT! Some final thoughts.

This is one of the final messages I will be able to send to you before the election on Tuesday, May 10th. Please read carefully and take action now, every second counts!

We are on the home stretch of the campaign and our momentum couldn't be better. My campaign messages and solutions have really resonated with Hoboken's voters. Hoboken residents are ready for a new, positive breed of leadership focused on solving our city's problems rather than the constant finger pointing we have now.

Elections are won and lost based upon their ability to get their supporters to the polls on election day. It sounds simple, but it is a very important point. This election could go to a "run-off" with as little as 2000-3000 votes. Since 17 council candidates are running for three spots this will be a very tight race. The election will be decided by a handful of votes.

ADVICE FOR VOTING ON TUESDAY

Getting to the polls and voting is a relatively simple task, but it is a right that many people do not exercise. Sometimes they say they don't have the time, or most often "don't know who to vote for." Let me make this easy.

Polls are open from 6:00am-8:00 pm on Tuesday. My recommendation is that you vote first thing in the morning before you go to work. You can even throw on some sweats as soon as you get up and get to the polls before you get ready for work so you are one of the first people in line. Heck, take the dog for a walk and get your vote in! Voting takes minutes but will have a lasting impact for years to come.

You should have received a sample ballot in the mail telling you where your polling station is located. If you voted in the last Presidential election in Hoboken, you are eligible to vote in the municipal election on Tuesday.

During most general municipal elections, an Independent candidate doesn't have a chance. This election is different. The electorate is deeply divided and desperately wants a new breed of leadership in City Hall. Unfortunately, none of the mayoral candidates or their slates are providing the voters much of a compelling choice to choose from.

My candidacy provides Hoboken's voters with a chance to be heard and to make a real difference. I will work night and day to change the culture of our city government and make sure we put our residents first.

To make this a reality, all I need is your ONE vote. It is that simple. One vote to start an "evolution" of our city government.

VOTING STRATEGY
To win the election, the mayoral and council candidates must achieve over 50% of the votes cast. If 50% is not achieved, the election will go into a five week "run-off" election between the top two mayoral vote-getters and top six council candidates. Due to the large number of candidates running for office this year, a run-off election is likely (but not guaranteed). My goal is to get into the top six stops this Tuesday and be in a position to win in a runoff election.

THE NUMBERS
The ideal way for my supporters to vote this Tuesday to ensure I have the best shot of winning is to VOTE FOR ANYONE BUT ROBERTS FOR MAYOR AND JUST ME FOR COUNCIL. Roberts is believed to have the most likely chance of winning 50% of the vote on the first ballot. To push this into a runoff, we need to ensure no candidate gets 50% of the vote. At this stage of the election, a vote for "anyone but Roberts" is a vote for me. Beyond my selfish reasons for hoping for a runoff, I actually believe it is the best thing for the city. Voters are confused who to vote for. An additional five weeks and fewer options will provide voters with a better opportunity to get to know the candidates so they can make a more educated choice.

Regarding your council votes, you can vote for up to three individual council candidates, and they do not have to be on a political team or "slate". You can "bullet vote" and just choose the three best candidates, regardless of team. I recommend this is what you do. The best thing for me would be for you to only cast one vote in the city council race and that vote would be for me. Your one vote ensures me the best odds of getting into the runoff election because you will be denying one of my opponents a vote that I would need to compete with. Voting just for me would be the ideal for my candidacy, but, if you think there is another candidate worthy of your support, I encourage you to vote for them. Like you, I want the best people on city council, regardless of party affiliation or team.

My humble opinion:
Carol Marsh's team is considered the most likely runners up for mayor and council. I have tried hard to keep a positive dialog with them, give them the benefit of the doubt, and support their efforts to be heard. I admire their courage to stand up and fight for what they think is right. But, there comes a point where the fighting can be interpreted as being overly critical, negative, and ultimately, counterproductive.

I have heard Carol's team has come to view me and my campaign as a threat rather than the positive part of the solution I really am. This seems like short-sighted thinking to me. Perhaps it is just the result of a couple of "bad seeds" on that team. I hope so, and if so, those individuals need to be taken off that team if Carol's supporters really want to lead this city. I hope they realize (before it is too late) that the only way to bring about change is to build bridges with other like-minded, honest individuals. That is what leadership is all about. I intend on continuing to bring my message directly to the voters and work hard to surround myself with individuals who have proven they can work as part of a highly successful team. The real enemy is voter apathy, confusion and negativity, not me. We need more positive leadership and solutions. Carol and her team need to decide if they want to be part of that solution or they would rather scare away voters like me. Either way, I will continue to leave my door wide open to them and their supporters regardless of how this election turns out.

Finally, I want to thank you for all your kind words of encouragement and support. Campaigning can be tough. It is filled with daily "ups and downs". Knowing that I am doing what is right for Hoboken and recieving your support keeps me knocking on those doors and handing out those flyers. With three days to go, your support is needed more than ever. Please consider donating to my campaign (for the first time or again!) and be sure to send an email out to everyone you know ASAP. The emails you send WILL make the difference between victory or defeat.

Let's show the politicians that we want to be represented in City Hall. Let's show them we demand more "Positive Leadership" from our elected officials. Let's show them by voting on Tuesday and "Saving a Spot for Scott!"

For more information on the campaign and my platform, be sure to visit the official Scott For Hoboken website at http://www.scottforhoboken.com/. For the latest on the campaign, visit my blog (or campaign journal) at http://www.topofmind.blogspot.com/.

All the best and see you at the polls,

Scott

-Proud resident of Hoboken and candidate for Councilperson at Large

The ballots are here, the ballots are here!

Sample election ballots for the May 10th election arrived yesterday. It was a lot of hard work to even get my name on the ballot so it was exciting to see my name listed. And, in case you forgot, I AM LISTED ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE BALLOT, NUMBER 23B!!! Don't forget to SAVE A SPOT FOR SCOTT! I know that is a bit annoying, but repetition is key... :-)

The ballot can be a bit misleading. It says "vote for three candidates", then proceeds to list bulks of three candidates together in slates. People often misunderstand and think they need to vote for an entire slate. Wrong. You can vote for UP TO THREE CANDIDATES, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE BY SLATE. Actually, if we want the best city council, shouldn't we just vote for the best three candidates, regardless of slate? Makes sense doesn't it?

Another note: I was just informed from a friend (Erik) that he mailed in his absentee ballot for me. So, as far as I can tell, it is my first official public vote I have ever received! I can't wait until election day. This campaign is going to shock the world! (maybe a slight exaggeration, but you get my point...)

Who should you vote for Mayor?

I get this question a lot. Sorry to let you down, but I am not going to be able to tell you who I prefer as mayor. Telling you who to vote for mayor would be viewed as an endorsement from me. Each of the mayoral candidates are running a complete slate of candidates for the three available council spots. In other words, they don't want me to get a spot. They have their own people they want in "my" job. So, how much sense does it make for me endorse a mayoral candidate who hopes I lose? That would be like playing for the Yankees and saying I hope the Red Sox win the pennant. Hmm, doesn't make much strategic sense.

If the election goes into a runoff I may be in a position to endorse a candidate... assuming I feel one of them is truly worthy of the endorsement.

Scott's blog 2.0

Blogging is as much a way of communicating as it is a lifestyle. My hope was that I could use this blog to communicate regularly with voters and be as candid as possible regarding the trials and tribulations of the campaign trail.

But, people started spamming the comments section, so we shut off the ability to place an anonymous posting, and now, no one leaves ANY comments. Not even serious ones. So, either I have a lot of really great shy visitors, or just really bad visitors who have nothing better to do then spam my blog with ridiculous comments.
As a result, the blog ends up feeling like a one-way conversation rather than two-way, which is not what I intended. To change that, I am turning anonymous posting back on so we can keep the conversation going by encouraging the posting of comments. Also, if you want to contact me directly, please visit the "contact" section on my official website.

I would prefer to be very candid about things that happen on the campaign trail, but unfortunately, politics in this town can be a lot like warfare. I can't tell you everywhere I have been, what my plans are, and every bit of ground I am making on my opponents until the war is won. I can tell you that I am really enjoying the campaign and it is a lot of work. I can also tell you that I am more confident than ever that I am one of the top three candidates for City Council and deserve a place on that team. And finally, I can tell you that I have been approached by a number of people loyal to the Mayor or mayoral candidacy and they have confided in me that they will be voting for me when they enter that voting booth. Some are even working closely on one of the mayoral candidate's team. I find that very encouraging.

Look out Hoboken... I might just win this thing!

Hmm, so they aren't already in a "camp"

I didn't think I had a chance to get votes in places like Fox Hill senior home or Marineview. Since many of the residents of these buildings have been in Hoboken for a while, I assumed they already made up their minds who they were going to vote for, and I didn't stand a chance. I was wrong. Instead, I am getting my warmest receptions in these buildings! These buildings contain some great people. I hope I have enough time to meet everyone before May 10th!

Get your absentee ballots here! Get 'em while they're hot!

Make sure your vote is counted and your voice is heard. if there is any chance you won't be able to make it to the polls on May 10th, check out this page on my website to apply for an absentee ballot.

Best Places to....

As much as I enjoyed the City Council debate on Thursday, a part of me was attending (in mind and spirit) another very important event. DigitalGrit, the company I help manage, was attending an awards ceremony for the Best Places to Work in New Jersey.

To be selected, DigitalGrit went through a rigorous selection process. Until Thursday night we knew we had been selected as ONE of the twenty five finalists. Well, on Thursday night, we learned DigitalGrit was selected as THE NUMBER ONE Best Mid-sized business to work for in New Jersey!

This is an amazingly gratifying accomplishment for me and the team I work with. DigitalGrit has always stayed true to the "grit" part of its name. We were born in a recession at the depths of a dot-com bust. Through hard work, resilience, carefully managing expenses, hiring great people, expecting the best, and staying passionate about our customers, we have been able to succeed. All this in five short (although sometimes they felt very long...) years. I can't wait for the next five!

City Hall should be run like one of the best companies to work for in New Jersey. When elected, I will work hard to make that a reality.

Candidates for Council Debate- Thursday April 28th

16 of the 17 candidates congregated to discuss the issues last night at the Wallace School. I was very pleased with the event, which marked my first political debate. Attendance was relatively light at around 30-40 people. The event was taped by Cablevision and Bob Duval's Talking Politics. We were told the debate will be broadcast on Cablevision channels 18 and 22 soon. Once I hear anything I will let you know.

Overall, I was struck by how civil the debate was and impressed with the quality of the people. All share a genuine love for Hoboken, but some were clearly more qualified than others for the job. To me, the key determining characteristic for electing our next three City Council members should be leadership. Leadership is the only thing which will build bridges, build coalitions, make the tough decisions and get the best out of everyone in City Hall.

When I spoke, I encouraged Hoboken's voters to vote for the best individual candidates running for office, not vote for a supposed "team" or slate. Hoboken voters elected a "team" for years ago and they have spent the last four years battling each other. Now they are all running against each other in this election.

Eventually, after each candidate says what they are going to do when they get elected, it boils down to how well they can actually execute and get things done. I suggest I am one of the few candidates for City Council that actually has any proven track record of results. I guarantee I will work night and day to make our City better for all our residents and you can expect real, tangible results.

Mayoral Debate

I attended tonight's Mayoral debates held at the Wallace School. The League of Women's Voters deserves a lot of credit for assembling all the candidates and doing a great job keeping the discussion focused on the issues rather than rhetoric.

Turnout was relatively low. I don't think there were more than 100-125 people in the room. For a contentious Mayoral race like this when our City was shut down for the first time in 150 years, I would have thought more people would have attended the debate. And I would have expected there to be more new faces in the room, but it seemed that most were the old familiar faces you see at City Council meetings. Voter turnout for the school board election was low and an atrocious 9%. As the Hoboken Reporter headline said "School board re-elected, but voter apathy real winner".
I hope people are expecting to vote and are just waiting to show up on the 10th. If not, I fear we will not see as many voters at the poll as I would hope.

Regarding the performance of the Mayoral candidates, I was particularly impressed with Evelyn Smith. She spoke from the heart, was comfortable, knowledgeable, and had a good sense of humor.

The debate for City Councilperson-at-Large is tomorrow April 28th 7:00 pm at the Wallace School. I intend to speak candidly, honestly, and specifically. I hope to see you there.

Happy 150th Hoboken!!!

It was a beautiful day for a parade yesterday and Hoboken celebrated its 150th in great style. The Scott Delea for Council team had an opportunity to join in the fun by marching in the parade. I think it has been 25 years since I have marched in a parade. The last time may have been in Harrison NY, where I lived until I was 12. Our little league team paraded through town and our picture ended up on the front page of the local paper.

Yesterday we marched in front of a German band. They were a ragtag crew of musicians from all over Jersey who get together for parades and other performances. Occasionally I marched along with them while they played. My German grandmother would be proud.

As we walked along the parade route it was evident what a great city Hoboken is. The entire diverse cross-section of people that makes Hoboken special was on display. It was a lot of fun to speak with the young kids from Connors school that I tutored a few years ago, or the seniors who looked like they have been watching parades sitting on the same bench, for the past 75 years.

It was a special day and I was glad to say I was a part of it. I am even more motivated to make the next 150 years the best yet.

Pictures from the campaign trail...

Here are some pictures from this past weekend.

As you can see, I spoke with some fantastic people.



I was told he never likes to be in pictures....You could have fooled me! I guess a nice day in Spring can change anything!



To most people, their animals are a part of the family. We need to continue to make Hoboken a great place for them to live too.


Serious issues demand serious solutions and "straight talk".



Our Seniors helped to build this city. We must take care of them as if they were our own grandparents.

What do we sell next? Pier A? Thoughts from the campaign trail...

My feet and my voice hurt from all the campaigning this weekend, but it was worth it. We had two of the most amazing days of weather we have had in months and all of Hoboken was on the streets and in the parks. Pier A was packed.

I had some fantastic conversations with hundreds of people ranging from the elderly to young families and singles. I heard some great stories and answered a lot of important questions.

It is clear that people love and appreciate Hoboken. We think it is one of the greatest places to live in the world and we aren't afraid to tell people about it. One of my favorite things to do is give friends and relatives a tour around town to show them the sites. I try to show them everything from the majestic Pier A and waterfront to important community centers like the Boys and Girls Club which serves the South Western part of town.

It is because of our pride and love of Hoboken that the government shutdown is so embarrassing. After spending all this time trying to convince friends and relatives that Hoboken is one of the best places to live in America, it was particularly painful when those same friends and relatives emailed and called asking how things were in "HoBROKEN". After years of trying to change people's perceptions about the old destitute Hoboken they heard about, how could our elected officials allow this to happen? How did we let it get this bad? Especially when it looks like things are so good?

The answer is political grandstanding, poor leadership, and an inability to make the tough decisions.

Our budget crisis could have been averted if the city took the necessary steps over the past four years to reduce spending instead of increasing it by almost 40%. We never would have had to sell a prized piece of property to pay our current bills. As someone told me today, selling the municipal garage was like "selling your kidney" for money.

So, now that we are in this position, what do we have to do? The first place to start would be to get a jump on next year's budget by cutting expenses NOW. We better get started soon because our NEXT fiscal year starts in less than THREE months and we are going to have to find another $20 million dollars we don't have just to fill next year's budget gap. What other key pieces of property are we going to have to sell to fill future budget gaps? Pier A?

Walk softly and carry a big stick...

Thanks to everyone for their posts (especially those of you with serious inquiries vs. just trying to spread rumors...)

I will do my best to respond to all posts. The rest of the time I am out on the streets of Hoboken meeting as many people as possible. There are only four weeks to go until the election, so we have a lot of work to do it we want to break though the political clutter and propaganda!

One post asked why I am not more outspoken during city council meetings. It is funny how people sometimes equate being loud and outspoken as being knowledgeable and effective. Most times the opposite is true. City council is often a place where our elected officials are busy wasting the public's time (and money) with grandstanding and finger pointing. As many of you know, I have been attending city council meetings for years. As a concerned citizen, it is important to attend, learn, and meet with people one on one to exchange ideas and views. I wish more of my opponents even showed up at a city council meeting!

One of the most important qualities of being a good leader is being a good listener. Words alone do not bring about positive change. Positive action leads to positive results.

The best part of city council meetings is when the public has a chance to comment and share their views. I listen intently. I am so thankful of the Hoboken residents who invest their time in researching an issue and attending meetings to voice their opinion and share information. I learn a lot from those residents and am very thankful to them.

My campaign is about "Positive Leadership for Hoboken". This requires listening, knowing the facts, and doing the right thing for our residents.

Once elected by the citizens of Hoboken, they can expect me to represent their needs and views. They will not have to listen to me speak at city council meetings just to hear myself talk.

As Teddy Roosevelt once said: "Walk softly and carry a big stick".

What Independent candidacies mean to Hoboken

There's no doubt that most people I'm meeting are depressed about the city's political gridlock, and the poor choices that are before them this election. Some of them ask what I, as an independent candidate, can hope to accomplish.

As an independent candidate I can find ways to work with different council factions and to facilitate communication between them. In fact, if elected I would consider that my mandate. Also, as an independent, I am not answerable to a party or mayoral candidate who heads my slate. I am directly answerable to the public, and I believe that's just the way it should be.

Independent candidates open up the political playing field. If local government is not accessible to citizens, NO government will be. On Tuesday May 10th, a vote for 23B (my slot, bottom-right) is a vote for choice - in this election, next year's election, and future elections. That's what my independent candidacy means to Hoboken.

Help Wanted: Independent Leaders

Independence, according to Webster's Dictionary:
1 : not dependent: as a (1) : not subject to control by others (2) : not affiliated with a larger controlling unit b (1) : not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent (2) : not looking to others for one's opinions or for guidance in conduct (3) : not bound by or committed to a political party c (1) : not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood)

Hoboken needs independent and experienced leaders more than ever if we want to break free of the politics of the past. Our City is being held hostage by the equivalent of the "Hatfields and McCoys".

I hope you will join me as I begin the process of installing more responsible, independent leadership in City Hall.

Hoboken "Shut Down"

Hoboken is in dire straights. Our great City has been "shut down". The headlines should read "Lack of Effective Leadership and Political Gamesmanship Causes City Citizens to Suffer".

This situation is an absolute embarrassment. Due to the lack of leadership in City Hall and City Council, the residents and employees of Hoboken are the ones who will pay...literally. The suffering will mean a lack of essential and expected services, potential lawsuits, and really bad press that could negatively affect business.

It shouldn't be this way. Hoboken's potential to be one of the best cities in America has never been more apparent. But, when your government representatives are shortsighted and leaderless, crazy things happen. A rudderless and leaderless ship will eventually run aground. It is time for Hoboken's voters to take the city back and "right this ship".

Hoboken has been shut down this week. Leadership in our City government has been shut down for years. We are now just seeing the impact. It is time for a change.

Let The Games Begin...

As of yesterday, I have begun letting the people closest to me know that I intend to run for City Council. The response has been heartwarming. You know when you get that look of excitement in people's eyes? The look when they start to picture bigger things happening? I got that look a lot last night. People see the possibilities.

Not everyone is going to be a believer in our ability to bring about change or make a difference. At least not yet. But, you have to start somewhere, and I believe the time is now. If you haven't already visited the Scott For Hoboken official website, please take a look now. I have posted one of my flyers which explains why I am asking people to sign petitions to put me on the ballot.

Staying Independent

I take my independence very seriously. Actually, I believe my independence is one of my greatest assets in this campaign, and one of my biggest challenges. Unlike many other people involved with Hoboken politics, I don't have the baggage of decades worth of personal and business relationships which have created such a tangled web of interdependence among those in power. Sometimes these deep-seated relationships can blur a politician's vision causing them to do the right thing for themselves and their personal interests, rather than the best interests of Hoboken. One advantage is clear, dependence builds connections, raises money and gets out the votes.
Don't get me wrong, I think there is value in having long-standing relationships and common interests with the people you live and work with. Things can get done faster because you know who to talk to about a certain issue, you know who to trust, and you know who not to trust. My goal is to leverage some of the great relationships I have built across the political spectrum, without being in a position of being indebted to any of them. This way, I am able to actually have a civil conversation with them (if you have been to a City Council meeting, you know how rare this is), understand the different views, make the right decision for the City, and maintain the relationships. This may seem a little utopian, but I don't think it is much to ask our representatives in City government to operate with mutual respect and a focus on putting Hoboken residents first.

CASA Fundraiser

One of my favorite fundraisers was for a group called CASA (Court Appointed Surrogate Advocates) of Hudson County, held at Madison's Bar and Grill. We donated $7,000 to help fund the training and support of an additional 20 new volunteers who are now representing abused and neglected foster children in our Hudson County Court system.

Taking the Leap

Jumping In

Now is time to jump into Hoboken's political waters and take a swim. For a while now, I have been working hard to make a positive impact in the Hoboken community, while staying out of the political fray. But, there comes a time to trust your instincts and take a leap of faith. After carefully observing and participating in Hoboken's community, it is obvious to me that I can make an even bigger impact by winning a "seat at the table" of City government. I intend to take my business skills, diverse contacts, integrity and hard work with me on the campaign trail.
I am announcing my intention to run for one of three available Councilperson-at-large positions in the great City of Hoboken. The election is Tuesday, May10th 2005. Join me as I begin this journey and let's hope we are celebrating a victory in May!